Bumble is killing off its signature swipe feature, CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd announced Wednesday on "The Axios Show." The move marks a dramatic overhaul for the dating app, which has struggled with sagging business and Gen Z user fatigue. "We are going to be saying goodbye to the swipe and hello to something that I believe is revolutionary for the category," Wolfe Herd said.
The decision comes as Wolfe Herd, who returned to the helm last year, bets big on AI-driven matchmaking to attract new users ahead of a relaunch. Bumble faces stiff competition from Tinder and Hinge, along with a broader downturn in dating app engagement among younger demographics.
The changes will roll out in select markets starting in the fourth quarter of this year, though Wolfe Herd remained vague on specifics. She also revealed the app is dropping its women-go-first rule, saying, "We will not force one gender over another to do something first."
However, she stressed that Bumble will preserve "the essence of what was always meant to be women making the first move." The pivot represents a high-risk bet: ditching core features could alienate existing users even as the company tries to win back lapsed ones.
Analysts will be watching closely to see whether the AI-first strategy can reverse Bumble's fortunes. If the experiment fails, it may accelerate the app's decline in a crowded, fickle market.